LIZ SHELD’S MORNING BRIEF: FBI lawyer thought Hillary should have been prosecuted and much, much more. “My original belief — well, after having conducted the investigation and towards the end of it, then sitting down and reading a binder of her materials, I thought that it was alarming, appalling, whatever words I said, and argued with others about why they thought she shouldn’t be charged.”

SPIRIT RAINBOW: A B-2 Spirit bomber waits beneath an arching rainbow. The photo was taken on the flightline at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Jan. 30, 2019.

BACKGROUND TO THE TRUMP-KIM HANOI SUMMIT:

No one is astonished that North Korea’s criminal regime still has nuclear weapons. In many respects, nukes and ICBMs are Kim’s only bargaining chips.

Many, however, are warily amazed that the diplomatic process continues.

For the deep background, read Chapter 2 of Cocktails from Hell. Remember, The Korean War isn’t over.

FEBRUARY 2009, TEN YEARS AGO: A Globemaster departure. Every Instapundit vet who has survived the military sardine experience for over three hours in any type of conveyance, please raise your hand…no, don’t put a picture on Fascistbook…just raise your hand as you look at the screen…and remember asking yourself, “Why am I here?” (Like, embrace the suck.)

HMM: Iran unveils submarine that can launch cruise missiles.

Iran shows off a lot of domestically produced military gear which, if it isn’t pure propaganda vaporware, never seems to work as advertised. Here’s what Tehran is claiming this time:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani showed off the semi-heavy sub dubbed the Fateh, or Conqueror, on Sunday to thousands at the port city of Bandar Lengeh.

“We will not bow down to the hegemonic power. We are ready to sacrifice ourselves and spill our blood to protect Iran,” Rouhani said at the ceremony, according to Al Jazeera.

The submarine was unveiled one week after the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

“There are definitely messages, which are being conveyed to Washington, D.C.,” Maysam Bizar, a Tehran-based journalist, told Al Jazeera, noting it is an “old tradition” to show off its new military equipment during the revolution anniversary.

The 660-ton sub was entirely produced domestically, according to Rear Admiral Amir Rastegari.

The manufacturing process began on March 21, 2008, which “is a record since the average time in the world is between 12 to 15 years,” he said.

Two American shipyards produce two Virginia-class nuclear attack subs every year, with a time between being laid down and launched of about 18 months each.

WAR CHEST: GOP hauls in record $15.7 million, arming up for Trump 2020 reelection.

The Republican National Committee smashed fundraising records last month as it began preparing for the 2020 election cycle when it plans to reelect President Trump, keep control of the Senate and win back the House speakership.

Insiders said that the RNC hauled in $15.7 million, a new high for a non-election year January. The party has been on a sustained fundraising tear under Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

In a sign of support many see for Trump and his policies, three times as much was contributed in January by small dollar donors than large dollar donors.

Money isn’t everything, but it’s something.

PAPER BALLOTS, PHOTO ID, AND A CRACKDOWN ON FRAUDULENT ABSENTEE BALLOTS WOULD BE A GOOD START: Harris on election security: ‘Russia can’t hack a piece of paper.’

Related: Study Finds Voter ID Requirements Don’t Repress Minority Votes.

THE DEMAND FOR HATE CRIMES IN 21ST CENTURY AMERICA EXCEEDS THE SUPPLY: Police: ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett in custody, due in court Thursday. Smollett claimed he was the victim of a racial and homophobic assault. Now, he’s accused of making it up and could go to prison.

Plus, the memory hole:

Related: Jussie Smollett and the Information Warfare of the Left.

BLACK MARKETEERS TO GAIN THE MOST: Marijuana Tax in New Jersey? It Could be $42 an Ounce.

EXCESSIVE FINES: Don’t get too excited about the Supreme Court’s decision yesterday. All that was decided was that the Constitution’s Excessive Fines Clause applies to the states. The ramifications of that decision must wait for another day.

For more on how some municipalities may rely too heavily on fines and fees for their budgets, you might want to look at my Commissioner Statement in the Commission on Civil Rights’ report entitled Targeted Fines and Fees Against Communities of Color: Civil Rights and Constitutional Implications. It doesn’t cover every angle of the problem of excessive fines and fees, but I hope it makes a few useful points. Among other things, it argues this is not a race issue (though most of my colleagues seemed to think it was).

There are lots of tough issues in this area of the law (and the debate doesn’t always fit the usual left/right paradigm).  (Full report here.)

IT’S BEEN NONSTOP PHONY HYSTERIA SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2016:

WHY DOES VIRGINIA LOVE RACISTS AND ANTI-SEMITES? Virginia Democrat Who Came Under Fire for Anti-Semitic Comments Wins Special Election.

POPULAR MECHANICS: The U.S. Air Force Is Buying New F-15s After All. “The F-15X will complement the F-22 and F-35 in tomorrow’s aerial battlefields.”

This item serves as a decent primer on what’s new in the F-15X.

MAKE ARMS SALES GREAT AGAIN: Lockheed Martin Offers India Enhanced F-16 Block 70 Multirole Combat Aircraft Dubbed “F-21.”

BIGOT GETS BACKLASH: Ohio music store owner faces backlash for turning away Trump supporters.

JIM GERAGHTY: It’s Not a Disinformation Campaign if the Facts Are True.

There’s no excuse for racist and sexist stereotypes, but as the well-informed audience of this newsletter knows, Harris and Brown did have an extramarital affair (he was married, she wasn’t) starting in 1993, he appointed her to two well-paying state positions during their relationship, and he was no doubt a key connection as she began her career, introducing her to California’s political movers and shakers. It’s completely fair to ask the candidate hard questions about this nepotism, and the fact that some Russian bot is tweeting about it doesn’t mean the topic transmogrifies into “disinformation.”

Well, unless you’re the press-favorite Democrat and you can talk Politico into saying so.

TOM COBURN: Washington’s paralysis requires a constitutional convention.

For years now, angry Americans have been lashing back at Washington overreach. That is the genesis of the Tea Party movement. But it’s even worse than we thought. The ultimate evil of the bureaucratic state, Howard argues, is that Americans no longer feel free. Americans no longer breathe the fresh air of freedom but the stale air of bureaucracy.

Doctors and nurses spend up to half the day filling out forms no one reads. Teachers are told never to put an arm around a crying child. Small business can’t even know, much less comply with, the tho